Jumla, May 11: As the yarsagumba (a valuable medicinal fungus) harvesting season begins in Himalayan region, students from Patarasi Rural Municipality of Jumla have started leaving school to join their families in collecting the highly valuable medicinal fungus.
Yarsagumba, considered a major source of income in the mountain region, draws locals to highland pastures every year during the harvesting season. During this period, many schoolchildren temporarily abandon classes to participate in the collection.
Hari Bahadur Budha, a teacher at Rinimoksha Secondary School in Dillichaur, said students had already started heading toward the alpine pastures. According to him, most Grade 10 students from the school are absent as they have gone to collect yarsagumba.
Although the student enrollment campaign has already begun, only nine out of 67 Grade 10 students have been attending classes. Budha estimated that around half of the students in the grade had left for the highlands. Similar situations have been reported in other classes as well.
Locals say students accompany their parents and guardians to earn money during the harvesting season. Even collecting 20 to 40 pieces of yarsagumba can generate between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 200,000 in a single season.
Families say the earnings help cover education costs, including notebooks, pens, school supplies, and household expenses.
Dilraj Rawat, a student at Malika Secondary School in Lotchaur of Patarasi Rural Municipality-3, said he was also preparing to leave for the highlands. Many of his friends have already reached the alpine areas to search for yarsagumba, making this his third consecutive year participating in the harvest.
Rawat said going to the mountains instead of school was not his preference, but a necessity. Every year, he collects and sells yarsagumba to afford educational materials and daily essentials.
According to locals, students from schools in wards 1, 2, and 3 of Patarasi Rural Municipality are particularly involved in the seasonal migration.
As student attendance declines, schools across the area have become increasingly empty. In some cases, parents have even visited schools seeking permission to send their children to the highlands.
Patarasi Rural Municipality has repeatedly urged parents and teachers not to send students for harvesting activities. However, officials admit the practice has been difficult to stop because it is directly tied to household income.
Ramchandra Regmi, head of the municipality’s Education Branch, said efforts were ongoing to address the issue, but preventing students from leaving had not been successful.
He said the municipality was considering arranging alternative classes later for students who miss school during the harvesting season.
“We advise them not to abandon their studies and go to the pastures, but they do not listen,” Regmi said.
According to him, students from Jumla also travel to the highland regions of Dolpa and Mugu to collect yarsagumba. Some accompany their parents, while others travel in groups.
Parents say children are often more successful in spotting yarsagumba due to their sharp eyesight. #Nepal
